With reference to FIG. 21 through FIG. 23, description is provided on a conventional washing machine which performs washing operation, rinsing operation and spin-dry operation according to a special operating program established by correction made on a basic operating program having preprogrammed specifications for the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation.
FIG. 21 is a vertically sectioned side view depicting a structure of conventional cloth washer 390, FIG. 22 is a circuit block diagram showing the structure of conventional cloth washer 390, and FIG. 23 is a front view depicting an exterior of control panel 398 equipped in conventional cloth washer 390.
Cloth washer 390 is provided with enclosure 325 having generally a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Enclosure 325 has water receiving tub 321 of generally a cylindrical shape disposed to the inside thereof. Water receiving tub 321 is suspended on enclosure 325 with suspension rods 324. Water receiving tub 321 is provided in it with washing-cum-drying basket 322 of generally a cylindrical shape. In the bottom of washing-cum-drying basket 322, pulsator 323 is attached to a vertically mounted shaft in a freely rotatable manner.
Water receiving tub 321 is provided with motor 327 for driving pulsator 323. Motor 327 consists of a brushless D.C. motor. Power shifting mechanism 326 is arranged between motor 327 and pulsator 323. Power shifting mechanism 326 decelerates a driving force of motor 327 and transmits it to pulsator 323 during a washing cycle, but transmits the driving force of motor 327 directly in one-to-one ratio to pulsator 323 and washing-cum-drying basket 322 during a spin-dry cycle.
Water receiving tub 321 has cover 328 on top of it to constitute a discharge port for water splay. Water supply valve 331 is installed above water receiving tub 321. Water supply valve 331 is provided for supplying water to washing-cum-drying basket 322. Drain valve 332 is installed beneath water receiving tub 321. Drain valve 332 is provided for draining the washing water from water receiving tub 321.
Water receiving tub 321 has connecting port 330 at a lower part of it. Water receiving tub 321 also has water level detector 329. Water level detector 329 converts a water pressure at connecting port 330 into an electrical frequency for detecting a level of the water inside water receiving tub 321.
Motor 327 is driven by inverter circuit 337. Inverter circuit 337 has six switching elements 338A to 338F. Each of switching elements 338A to 338F has a parallel circuit comprising a power transistor and a diode.
Cloth washer 390 has power supply 340. Power supply 340 delivers a voltage to inverter circuit 337 via a D.C. power converter comprised of diode bridge 341, choke coil 342 and smoothing capacitor 343. Power supply 340 also supplies the voltage to a pump, which is not shown in the figure, to water supply valve 331, drain valve 332 and power shifting mechanism 326. Motor 327 is provided with three position detectors 335. Each of position detectors 335 detects a rotating position of motor 327.
Cloth washer 390 is provided with control unit 303. Control unit 303 has rotation controller 334. Rotation controller 334 controls driving circuit 336 based on the rotating position of motor 327 detected by each of position detectors 335 and the water level in water receiving tub 321 detected by water level detector 329. Driving circuit 336 drives inverter circuit 337 according to a direction provided by rotation controller 334.
The pump, which is not shown in the figure, water supply valve 331, drain valve 332 and power shifting mechanism 326 are connected to component drive unit 333. Component drive unit 333 drives the pump, not shown in the figure, water supply valve 331, drain valve 332 and power shifting mechanism 326 respectively according to a direction provided by control unit 303.
Cloth washer 390 is provided with control panel 398. Control panel 398 has operating program selector button 304J for selecting any one of a plurality of basic operating programs and a special operating program, and a plurality of operating program selection lamps 304D corresponding respectively to the plurality of basic operating programs and the special operating program. Each of operating program selection lamps 304D comprises an LED. The basic operating programs include “regular program”, “short program” and “in-home cleaning program”, for instance. The “regular program” represents the most standard operating program, in which a washing time is set for “9 minutes”, a number of rinse cycles for “2 times with supplying water”, and a spin-dry time for “7 minutes”, for example. The “short program” is a basic operating program designed to complete the washing in a hurry, and it has a washing time set for “3 minutes”, a number of rinse cycles for “once with supplying water”, and a spin-dry time for “3 minutes”, for example. The “in-home cleaning program” is another basic operating program designed for the “dry-cleaning” items using the cloth washer for household use, and it has a washing time set for “12 minutes”, a number of rinse cycles for “2 times with impounded water”, and a spin-dry time for “40 seconds”, for example. The “special operating program” is so designed that a washing time for the washing operation, a number of rinse cycles for the rinsing operation, and a spin-dry time for the spin-dry operation can be set arbitrarily. Operating program selection lamp 304D is provided for each of the “regular program”, the “short program”, the “in-home cleaning program”, and the “special operating program”. These operating program selection lamps 304D light up alternately from the “regular program”, “short program”, “in-home cleaning program” and “special operating program” in this sequential order, at each time operating program selector button 304J is pressed.
Control panel 398 has input unit 304 for entering a washing time for the washing operation, a number of rinse cycles for the rinsing operation and a spin-dry time for the spin-dry operation, and display section 305 for displaying the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time entered from input unit 304. Input unit 304 comprises a plurality of buttons for setting the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time respectively.
Control panel 398 also has special operating program setting unit 302. Special operating program setting unit 302 establishes a “special operating program” by correcting the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time as originally preprogrammed for the “regular program”, which represent the most standard operating program, with the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time respectively entered from input unit 304.
In cloth washer 390 constructed as above, when a user selects the “special operating program” by pressing operating program selector button 304J, display section 305 displays in it the washing time, the number of rinse cycles, and the spin-dry time preprogrammed for the “regular program”, which is the most standard operating program. The user then enters a desired washing time, a number of rinse cycles and a spin-dry time by pressing individual buttons comprising input unit 304 while referring to the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time of the “regular program” displayed in display section 305, in an effort to make corrections for the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time of the “regular program”.
Next, special operating program setting unit 302 establishes the special operating program by correcting the originally preprogrammed washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time for the “regular program”, according to the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time as desired and entered therein by the user.
Thereafter, control unit 303 controls driving circuit 336 and component drive unit 333 in a manner to carry out the washing operation, the rinsing operation and the spin-dry operation according to the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time set by special operating program setting unit 302.
The structure described above and relevant techniques are disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication, No. 2002-119788.
In the above-described structure of the conventional cloth washer 390, the user establishes the special operating program while referring to the washing time of “9 minutes”, the number of rinse cycles of “2 times with supplying water” and the spin-dry time of “7 minutes” preprogrammed for the “regular program” representing the most standard operating program. Therefore, even when the user desires to establish the special operating program by making minor changes, for example, on the “short program” representing the basic operating program designed to complete the washing in a hurry, and consisting of the washing time for “3 minutes”, the number of rinse cycles for “once with supplying water” and the spin-dry time for “3 minutes”, all the user can refer is the “regular program” providing “9 minutes” of the washing time, “2 times with supplying water” for the number of rinse cycles and “3 minutes” of the spin-dry time, when setting user's desired washing time, number of rinse cycles and spin-dry time. In this instance, it is difficult for the user to know how the washing time, the number of rinse cycles and the spin-dry time are best set for the purpose. Accordingly, it has a problem that the user is required to review every detail of operation of the special operating program from the ground up and to determine the desired washing time, number of rinse cycles and spin-dry time before setting them.